Dreams of Home
by texasmagic
Summary: The only time Harry feels at home is when he dreams.
1. Part One

Disclaimer: All of this belongs to JK Rowling. The lyrics are from the Dixie Chicks.  
  
**It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live Albus Dumbledore SS12**  
  
**Part One  
**  
**_Not a night goes by, I don't dream of wandering, through the home that might have been._**  
  
_He was back. It was always the same house. A tidy little cottage, littered with signs that a child lived there, determined to undermine the order. A toy broomstick discarded on the floor, magical blocks scattered in front of the fire. The woman was gently rocking in the chair by the fire. She was singing a lullaby. He must have arrived just in time to put the little one down for a nap.  
  
The singing stopped and the woman rose from the chair and started down the short hallway to the nursery. He followed her, watching her coppery hair sway across her back as she walked. She was petite, but strong. She had no trouble lifting the young child into its crib. She touched her fingers to her lips and then gently brushed the child's forehead. "Sleep well, little one," she said. She turned to leave the room ....  
  
_"Harry! Are you there mate?" A freckled face with red hair glimmered in the fireplace. "There you are."  
  
Ron Weasley unfolded his long frame from out of the fire and walked across the room. Harry Potter had been dozing on the sofa listening to a Quidditch game on the Wizard Wireless. Ron leaned over and nudged his long time friend. Harry sat up with a start and adjusted his classes.  
  
"Oh, hello, Ron. How's Hermione doing?" Harry asked, trying to shake himself awake from the dream he'd been having. Maybe some Quidditch talk could help him shake the cobwebs loose from his brain.  
  
"Well, that's what I'm here about."Ron replied, as he began talking rapidly. "The baby's on its way, and I wondered if you could come over to watch Emily."  
  
"Sure, of course, "Harry said quickly, getting up off the couch. "Just let me get some things together." Harry started to walk to the loo to get his shaving kit. If he remembered anything about when Emily was born, Harry was going to be camping out at Ron and Hermione's overnight. "But hey," he asked, pausing in doorway, "won't your mum be upset at being left out? I thought she took it as some kind of personal quest to mind the grandchildren as each new one was brought into the world."  
  
"She's supposed to be the one to come over, but Mum and Dad are still over in Paris helping Bill and Fleur get settled in their new flat. They were planning on being back in time, but it's early, and Hermione says it's time to go to St. Mungo's." Ron replied. "So are you coming or not?"  
  
Harry snorted. "Hold on to your broomstick, Ron. What do you mean it's early? It's the middle of the afternoon. It's no big deal. I can read Emily a story and give her a snack.." She's only a two year old, he thought to himself. Besides, they'd trusted him to mind the little tyke before. .. Hey, I thought Hermione wasn't due 'til next month?"  
  
"She's not!"Ron replied, throwing his arms up in exasperation. "That's what I'm trying to tell you. It's six weeks early, Mum's on the bloody Continent, and you know we don't leave Emily alone with the muggle family members since the darling accidentally blew out the Granger's telly when those tubby things went off the screen. That leaves you, Sir Godfather. Listen, I need to be getting back to Hermione. Can I count on you to be right behind me?"  
  
Harry looked at Ron. His best friend's forehead was lined with worry, showing his concern that things were not supposed to be happening this early. Ron's blue eyes, usually sparkling with mirth, were pleading with Harry to hurry. "Just let me get my bag. I guess I should feel honored to be third on the list."  
  
"Are you kidding?"Ron asked as he stepped back into the fireplace. Taking some floo powder from the crock on the hearth, he added, "I know Angelina and Katie are swell, but if I left Emily with the twins, they'd have her in so much trouble, she be banned from owning a wand before we ever got to take to her to Olivander's. Hermione'd kill me! See you at our place. AVONLEA!" and Ron disappeared in the familiar burst of green flame.  
  
Harry smiled to himself as he walked back to his room to get some robes and his shaving kit. Ron was a great dad and husband. Harry's heart went out to his friend. He spent a lot of time at Avonlea and knew that Ron was immensely proud of his little family. Hermione had surprised everyone by agreeing to a simple summer wedding, a mere two weeks after they finished Hogwarts. It seemed that everyone was rushing get to get on with life with Voldemort gone. The newlyweds had announced they were expecting at a family dinner to send Ginny off for her final year at school. Emily had been born before the couple had been married a year.  
  
Now, with the second baby on the way, Hermione didn't seemed phased by the twins' gibes about trying to keep up the Weasley tradition of large families. Things weren't going as planned, though, and Harry had to think that was going to be hard on his order- loving friend.  
  
"Well, better get over there, before she comes to fetch me herself," Harry muttered. He took his wand from his pocket, focused on Ron and Hermione's flat, and disapparated..  
  
**Four years ago...  
  
_I mistook the warnings for wisdom, from so-called friends, quick to advise. Now your touch is telling me otherwise.  
_**  
"Ugh, they're disgusting! Really, Harry, I don't know how you stand being around them. Do they ever do anything but snog?" Ginny Weasley threw her bag down on the floor and plopped into the chair next to it. She had just returned from potions, every Griffindor's favorite class, and was none to pleased to be faced with the two love birds in the corner.  
  
Harry turned from the scroll he had been working on and looked over to the table in the corner of the common room. Hermione had her customary stack of books piled around her, but it looked as if Ron had once again managed to distract her from her studies. He had his arm around her and was fiddling with the curls that had come loose from the clip she had used to keep her hair from falling into her face. His other hand was on Hermione's and they were gazing into each other's eyes and talking. Both had a silly grin plastered on their face.  
  
"Don't worry," Harry assured Ginny. "Soon enough, Hermione will realize all the time she's been wasting that could have been spent reviewing for our NEWTS. Then we'll see a row to rival the old days." Harry shook his head at the memory... memories, to be more precise, of the infamous rows between his two best friends. It had been a relief to have them finally admit that they had feelings for each other. It kept Harry from being the peacekeeper and go between. Once the new couple had finally decided to let Harry in on what he had already known for some time, things had settled. Nothing had changed all that much. Head Girl Hermione was still the organized bookworm, always nagging Harry and Ron about marks and deadlines. Ron somehow managed to keep the slightly neurotic Hermione and Harry sane, insisting that in spite everything, it was after all, their seventh year, and a chance to have a little fun.  
  
"Well, they could at least try to keep the drool to a minimum," Ginny grumbled, pulling her long red hair into a ponytail. "So, how are you, Harry?" she said turning to him. "With all your extra classes, I only get to see you at Quidditch practice, and at the Shack."  
  
"Busy. I've been looking over some new strategy Ron and I were brewing up for the match against Ravenclaw. It'll take some extra practice, but it just might work. Their new line of chasers is pretty strong."  
  
"And what am I, a flobberworm?" Ginny asked, jumping up and feigning a hurt look in her eyes. "Let me see those plans." She pushed Harry aside on the sofa so she could sit down next to him to look at the scolls. "Hmm, so you're thinking that I'll take this side, Dean will take the other leaving Dennis open to... Harry! It's bloody brilliant! Let us practice it tomorrow. I'm sure the three of us can make it work."  
  
"Such language!"Harry teased. "Be careful, or your mother's liable to send a howler with a bar of soap. I'm sure she didn't raise you to speak that way."  
  
"Sod off, Harry," Ginny retorted, playfully slugging him in the shoulder. " If you only heard half of what I've heard my mother say... There was this one time, when I was sneaking in the kitchen, trying to sneak some scones. Mum came bustling in all worked up about something the twins had done. I hid in the cupboard so she wouldn't catch me. Boy, oh boy. If you think Ron had a filthy mouth, some of the things she said under her breath would make Charlie blush."  
  
Harry laughed, remembering Molly Weasley and the few times he'd seen her lost for words. Maybe she wasn't lost, just censoring?  
  
Ginny leaned back on the cushions and curled her legs up underneath her. "So, are you coming to Hogsmeade this weekend?" she asked.  
  
Harry leaned forward and looked at the floor in front of him. "I don't know. I'm behind in some of my school work because of my extra classes with Lupin. Besides, everybody's getting dates and such this go round."  
  
"Well, some of the sixth years are getting together at the Three Broomsticks. Care to join us?"  
  
Harry paused. Maybe he could go to Hogsmeade with Ginny. No, there was too much history there. He knew, of course, about her crush on him in her first year, but especially since the Department of Mysteries, and playing quidditch together this year and last, Ginny had almost become the fourth member of their little group.  
  
'There's no almost about it,' he thought. As intimidating as Ron could be, Ginny took after her mother in more than just red hair. She flat out refused to be left behind, to the point of following the three of them to the Shrieking Shack last year. When she found out that the three of them were receiving extra lessons in dueling from Remus and Kingsley, she insisted on being included. No one told Ginny she couldn't handle a dangerous situation. She'd proven that at the ministry, in all their mishaps last year and countless times on the quidditch pitch. She was brave, fast, pretty and had an adorable freckle just to the left of her nose.  
  
'Hold on there, mate.' Getting involved with Harry Potter, however, offered more than the thrill of adventure, he reminded himself. 'Getting close to me is like putting a price on your own head.' It was already hard enough to worry about Ron and Hermione. He couldn't have the added distraction of worrying about Ginny, too.  
  
"Hullo, in there," Ginny called, waving her hand in front of his face. "Sorry to ask you such a difficult question." She had put her other hand on his shoulder.  
  
"No, I was just, ehm, going over everything I still have to do. I think I'll pass. Maybe next time?" Harry didn't notice the change in Ginny's face.  
  
"Yeah, sure. Look, just don't work to hard. I know you have a lot of responsibilty, what with Quidditch and trying to prepare for whatever it is that Voldemort is plotting now. Just don't forget to have some fun too, ok." Ginny was holding Harry's hand in hers now. Harry looked up and locked eyes with her. She understood. Other than Harry, she alone had seen the evil they were preparing to face. Maybe...  
  
Harry jerked his hand away and stood up quickly. Ginny stared up at him, a hurt look glazing over her eyes. "Yeah, I know. Look, go with your friends. Don't worry about me."  
  
"You are my friend, or did you forget?" Ginny called after him as he started towards the staircase up to the boys dormitory.  
  
"Yeah, but I want to be more." Harry mumbled to himself. Climbing the stairs to the 7th years room he thought, 'How could he though?' Voldemort had already used those he cared about to manipulate him. Using Sirius to get Harry to go to the Department of Mysteries had only been the beginning. That summer, Voldemort had continually sent Harry images of friends in trouble. Harry knew Voldemort had been trying to goad him into another trap, sending him image after image of people close to him being tortured. The Dark Lord was desparate to catch Harry alone again, counting on the fact that Harry would again rush to his freinds' rescue. The visions had confused Harry enough, though, that when Death Eaters really tried to kidnap Ron and Hermione in Hogsmeade, he was almost too late to save them.  
  
'And he used Ginny to get me to the Chamber of Secrets." Putting away the Quidditch plans he had been making, Harry remembered how Tom Riddle admitted to altering his plans once he met Harry in the pages of the diary. He knew from Hermione that Ginny still had nightmares of her first year. Her couldn't put her through that again. He couldn't allow her to become a pawn in Voldemort's vendetta against him.  
  
'And then there's the matter of time." Since the attack in Hogsmeade sixth year, it had been decided that Harry should receive extra tutoring in defense. He, Ron, Hermione and Ginny went to the Shrieking Shack via the Whomping Willow two nights a week for extra practice in dueling. Ron and Hermione were included due to the fact that there seemed to be no way to prevent them from ending up right in the middle of whatever trouble Harry was in. Besides, they had become targets themselves. Ginny had forced her way into the group by threatening to tell her mother, who had not been informed of the extra lessons.  
  
Exhausted, as usual, Harry began to change for bed. The extra hours and grueling practices left them with little time for anything other than their other responsibilities and school work. Hermione, of course, had set about making sure that everyone had color coded schedules which assigned time for everything from eating to Quidditch practice. Harry even had a sneaking suspicion he followed his better than Ron and Hermione did. They were bleary eyed at the breakfast table a little too often. "I guess she forgot to a lot a time slot for snogging with Ron," he laughed to himself. He, however, did not have the luxury of being able to forgo a few hours of sleep for a trip to the astronomy tower. He could not afford to get overwhelmed. The close call with the kidnapping attempt had given Harry the focus he needed to finally master Occulumency. He had fewer disturbing dreams. Now the Dark Lord was only able to penetrate Harry's mind when Harry was extremely tired and overwhelmed, and even then, Harry was able to recognize the images as foreign.  
  
Remus had held him back last week after lessons as the others started to go through the trap door into the tunnel back to Hogwarts. "We're all counting on you, Harry. You have to be as ready as you can," Remus had said. Remus looked extremely sorry for having to remind his young friend of his role in the prophesy. The werewolf was the only other adult besides Dumbledore who was aware of the full contents of the prophecy that had been destroyed 5th year. He had made it his responsibility to see that Harry was ready.  
  
"It's settled then," Harry thought as he drew the bed curtains around him and got into bed. "The Boy Who Lived cannot be The Boy Who Loved."  
  
_He was in the kitchen of the flat. It was the same, neat cottage he remembered from before. A man with untidy black hair was sitting at the table reading the latest edition of the Daily Prophet. Harry walked toward the table when the man stood up and went to the doorway into the sitting room. A young woman with long red hair was sitting on the floor sorting through piles of papers. Her legs were spread out and the piles were all around her. As she reached to straighten a stack to her right, one could notice the swelling in her belly. Harry followed the black haired man and paused in the doorway. If he could just wait here a little longer, they would start talking. The woman finished with the stack she was working on and put them into one of the neat piles positioned around her. The man leaned over to offer her a hand. She took it and began to stand...  
_  
The blinding green light woke Harry with a start. "You alright, Harry?" He heard Ron asked through the curtains.  
  
"Yeah, just that dream about my folks again. Go back to sleep, mate," Harry reassured his friend. Harry turned over in bed and kicked the tangled bed covers free of his feet. He'd been dreaming about his parents since he'd seen them in the Mirror of Erised first year. At first, they were just looking at him, just like they did in that picture Hagrid had saved for him. Even when the dreams had started to take a more disturbing turn with his experience with dementors during third year, Harry had always welcomed these dreams. During 6th year the dreams had changed again. Since then, rather than always hearing them in their last momemts, he found himself wandering through what he assumed was his parent's house in Godric's Hollow. He never heard them speak, and never saw their faces. It saddened him to not see them face to face, but he enjoyed wandering through his home.

Maybe the discipline of Occlumency had freed his memory to share what it was like to live with his mum and dad. It didn't matter that the dream always ended with that flash of green light. When he was dreaming, he was as close as he could get to home.


	2. Part Two

Disclaimer: All of the characters are inspired by one J.K. Rowling. Thank you for letting us play with your wonderful world.  
  
The song lyrics are from "Home" by the Dixie Chicks.  
  
**Part two  
**  
**_Somehow I saw you as a weakness, I thought I had to be strong Oh, but I was just young, I was scared, I was wrong.  
_**  
"Unca Harwy!" a little voice squealed. Harry turned around just in time to be able to swoop Emily Anne Weasley up into the air. She giggled as he spun her around, making her red curls fly.  
  
"Again! Again!" she cried, holding her arms up to her favorite uncle. Even at two, little Emily was adept at getting her many uncles to join in her games. Ron claimed she had even convinced proper Percy to join her jumping in puddles, despite the fact that he was wearing new robes.  
  
"In a bit, little one," Harry told her as her picked her up again. "What do you say we go check on your mum?"  
  
"Oh, there you are, Harry," Hermione said as she walked in from the hallway. Hermione's swollen belly made it hard to give her a proper hug, especially with Emily still in his arms, but Harry sensed the apprehension in his normally certain friend. An exasperated Ron followed with her bag. "Thank you so much for coming over," she said, releasing Harry and crossing the living room to straighten something on the bookshelf that didn't even seem out of place to Harry. "Emily's already had her nap. I've left a copy of her schedule on the cabinet in the kitchen. There's stew on the stove for dinner, and Emily's nightdress is laid out on her bed."  
  
"You didn't put all that together while you waited for me, did you?" Harry asked, only half teasing, as he put Emily down. The little girl toddled over to the chest full of her playthings. "Shouldn't you be resting?"Harry asked.  
  
"No, we should be leaving now!" Ron answered, through his teeth, trying not to show his exasperation with his overly organized wife.  
  
Hermione huffed over to her husband. "Oh Ron, honestly. You know this could very well be a false alarm. I only want to go to St. Mungo's to be sure. Things are still quite far apart, even if they are rather strong. OH!" Hermione bent over, grabbing Ron's arm with one hand and cradling her abdomen with the other as she grimaced.  
  
Harry looked from Hermione's pained face to Ron's concerned one. Ron picked Hermione up and carried her to the sofa. Harry watched as Ron soothed Hermione through the contraction, holding her hand and whispering in her ear. When it was over, Ron said, "I keep telling her something's not right. They're far apart enough, but it's the power in them that scares me. I don't care if it is false labor, it can't be good for things to be like this so early."  
  
"I think Ron's right, Hermione." Harry said. "You go on to St. Mungo's and get things checked out. Emily and I will have fun, don't worry. Everything will be fine."  
  
"Alright," Hermione answered, wincing slightly as she stood to move toward the hearth. "Just make sure Emily eats her beans with her dinner. Oh, and her rabbit is on the floor in her room!"  
  
"Oh, no you don't," Ron said as Hermione made to go back down the hall. He gently steered her to the fireplace. "Come give Mummy a kiss, Emily."  
  
Emily, who had been building a tower with her blocks came over to her parents and gave them each a hug and a kiss.  
  
"Bye, love," Hermione said with resignation. "Thank you again, Harry."  
  
"We'll be fine," he assured her. "Wave to Mummy and Daddy," he said as he picked Emily up again.  
  
"Bye, Bye" Emily said, as her parents disappeared in the flash of the fire.  
  
"Well, young lady, what d'you say we go check out that schedule your mum made out for us?" Harry carried Emily into the kitchen and immediately found the color coded schedule attached to the cabinet next to the pantry with spello tape. "Let's see here, tea, outdoor play, story, dinner, change into night clothes... Your mum hasn't changed a bit has she?"  
  
Hermione just couldn't help but organize things. Ron prided himself on being able to get her to relax a little. What had been an annoying trait in their early years at Hogwarts had made life bearable in the end. Without Hermione's study schedules, Harry and Ron would never have been able to manage everything. Once school was over, and Voldemort was gone, Harry had realized that Hermione organized as a way to cope. Her tendency to research and organize seemed to allow her to get her brain around the troubling events of their years at school.  
  
While everyone knew she had read everything written, both muggle and magical, on child rearing, Hermione remained remarkably low key when it came to little Emily. She took the ins and outs of being a mother in stride, and was positively overjoyed at the prospect of having their second child. It was only when things became stressful that she began trying to force her schedules on other people. Going into labor early must be making her very worried indeed.  
  
"What do you say we have tea, huh, Emily?" Harry asked as he got up to carry the little girl to the table. Hermione had everything set up to make things easy for Harry. In the ice box he found some juice in a little cup, and a tiny plate with some biscuits and a pear ready to be sliced on the counter top. Harry put Emily into her booster chair, used his wand for the "bib spell" Ron had taught him, and set about cutting up the pear. Luckily, he spent enough nights helping do the dishes in this kitchen he didn't have to hunt for the utensils. He sliced the pear and set the snack down in front of the little girl.  
  
"Now for Uncle Harry. Let's see, I know your Daddy has something good somewhere." He started opening cabinets in an attempt to find Ron's secret stash of Chocolate Frogs and Fizzing Wizzbies when he heard a pop in the living room.  
  
"My, aren't you the domestic one?" he heard as he turned around. Ginny Weasley stood in the doorway, that teasing smirk in her eyes as she watched Harry turn red. "Caught you red handed going through my brother's kitchen, didn't I? Hello, Emily dear. Are those good biscuits?" she said stopping to give her niece a kiss on the cheek. Turning to Harry she said, "Ah, I bet I know what you're looking for. He keeps them in the hidden panel behind the bread box."  
  
"Thanks," Harry grinned sheepishly. He'd never been able to even touch the cookie jar at the Dursley's, and he felt rather silly at being caught rummaging through his friend's kitchen. Ron just always seemed to appear with any snacks you could wish for, but only when his wife wasn't looking, of course. Hermione was still the daughter of dentists after all, and Ron closely guarded the location of his goodies. After scooting the bread box over, Harry saw what he thought was the panel in question, but hesitated when he realized he didn't know how to open it.  
  
"Really, do I have to do everything?" Ginny came over from the table where she had been talking to Emily to the cabinet where Harry stood. "Let's see, let's try 'Cannon's Rule'" and with a flick of her wand, the panel disappeared, revealing not only a pile of sweets that would make the Grangers faint, but a bottle of Firewhiskey as well.  
  
"How did you know how to do that?" Harry asked, impressed that Ginny had opened the vault so easily.  
  
"Oh, posh, it's easy really. Remember, I've known him even longer than you have. That's the password he uses for everything. I've known about it since I caught him trying to put a privacy charm on his bedroom to keep Fred and George from booby trapping it."  
  
"I forget how much dirt you have on your brothers sometimes," Harry said with a grin. He grabbed a few Frogs, and then Ginny replaced the panel. "What are you doing here anyway?"  
  
"I got word from Neville that Ron and Hermione had come in. He was visiting his parents. He thought I'd want to know. My shift doesn't end 'til eight, but I got another mediwitch to cover for me so I could see if you needed any help taking care of the little tyke. I've got a few days off coming to me, so if you need...'  
  
"No, I'm fine. I won't be needed back at headquarters for a few weeks. I'm not obligated to be anywhere."  
  
Ginny chewed on her lip, thinking the situation through. "Tell you what. I'll get back to Mungo's to see if they know anything. From what I gathered, they'd just checked in, so I just came over here first. I'll come back by when my shift is over and we can figure out if we need to make some arrangements. This way, if they need to be at St. Mungo's for a few days, we can let them know we have things taken care of, and Ron and Hermione won't need worry about Emily."  
  
"That sounds fine. Do you really think they could be there awhile?" Harry asked, trying to sound more curious than concerned.  
  
"Well, it all depends. Six weeks is early, but not unheard of, especially with someone as small as Hermione. I just won't know 'til I get back to St. Mungo's," Ginny explained. She knew that Harry, coming from the family he did, had next to no experience when it came to delivering babies. "I'll see you around nine, then?"  
  
"Yeah, sounds great," Harry said. Ginny took out her wand as disapparated back to work.  
  
Harry stood there in the kitchen, telling himself that Ginny was right, there was no need to worry. This was normal, well, normal for regular people. No, it wasn't normal for a pregnancy to end this early, but this was a problem for normal people. It wasn't the same as facing down death eaters and dementors. Hermione had been in the hospital wing almost as often as he had. She had narrowly escaped when the Death Eaters had gone after her and Ron in 6th year. They, along with Ginny and Neville, had stood there with him as he had finally faced down Voldemort. Hermione had survived all of that. Surely she could handle premature labor.  
  
Harry was brought back to awareness by the sound of a spoon hitting the floor and a rather insistent little voice saying, "All done!"  
  
"Oh are you, missy?" Harry asked, bending down to pick up the spoon. "Want to go outside?" When Emily squealed her agreement, he lifted his goddaughter out of the booster seat. After cleaning her up a bit, he took Emily by the hand and led her out into the garden.  
  
The garden of Avonlea was surrounded by tall hedges and edged with pretty little flower beds. Some of the flowers were planted by Hermione's students, others were Ron's doing. The little spade and bucket Emily used to help Daddy in the garden lay next to one of the beds. Ron spent many an evening digging for worms, chasing gnomes, and scooping up tadpoles to his daughter's delight.  
  
Emily had her fair share of "brain building" toys, that was certain, but here was the proof that Emily was not just half Granger. The first Weasley grandchild was definitely loved by her many uncles. A toy broomstick, given by Uncle Bill stood on the porch next to the door. The playhouse Hermione's parents had given their granddaughter was tucked into a corner under an arbor of roses. The twins had managed to charm the house to replay their niece's favorite nursery rhymes. Emily also had a dragon swing set, built by Charlie, complete with charms to ensure that she wouldn't fall off, applied by Percy, of course.  
  
Harry sat on the porch and watched as Emily tottered around the garden. She went from one thing to another, playing and babbling on. The summer day was warm, with just enough breeze to keep things comfortable.  
  
**Five years ago  
**  
Harry finished his cleaning assignment early and went to the kitchen to get a snack when he heard something rustle in the closet. Despite all of Mrs. Weasley's efforts to rid the house of offensive dust, doxies and boggarts, there were still a few things left lurking in the dark corners of the old mansion.  
  
"Lord, that better not be Kreacher," Harry mumbled had he prepared to open the door quietly. Since his actions against Sirius, the mad elf had been exiled to the attic of Grimmauld place. The bond he had to Harry, the new master of the house, was strengthened by the Kreacher's betrayal of his former master. Once Harry had banished him to the attic, he was effectively captive there until Harry chose to release him. If the demented creature had found a way to sneak downstairs, there would be hell to pay. Harry grasped the doorhandle firmly and opened it slowly, the better to sneak up on the offending noise maker.  
  
Ron and Hermione, however, did not notice the door open. They were much too focused on each other to see the gaping mouth and startled eyes of their best friend. Harry recovered from his shock and embarrassment quickly enough to close the door without their noticing anything was amiss. Harry turned and walked out of the kitchen, speechless and shaking his head at what he had just seen. He was so confounded by what was going on in that closet that he almost ran straight into Ginny.  
  
"Oi! What out Harry! What's got you so out of place? You look like you don't know where you are or something," Ginny said as she put up her hands to keep from running straight into Harry.  
  
"I was just going for a snack.... heard a noise.... not Kreacher....Ron...and Hermione..." Harry continued to shake his head as if he was trying to come out of a bad dream.  
  
"Walked in on the two of them, did you? I knew their whole secrecy thing wouldn't last long. Too many blooming people in and out of here at all hours of the day and night. I mean, Hermione's smart, how long did she really think she could get away with this?" Ginny huffed.  
  
Harry stared at Ginny, "You knew?"  
  
"Yeah, a girl's gotta keep an eye on things around here, you know. You don't grow up with Fred and George for brothers and not start to notice subtle changes in people's behavior. How else do you think I manage to have enough material to blackmail them? I've been watching the the twins long enough to know when they're up to something and I usually find out what it is. Anyway, yeah, Ron and Hermione finally admitted that they like each other, and if you ask me, it's about time. It's tough enough being in around them all the time, but their rows were getting to be pretty fierce." "So, they're...a couple?" Harry asked, realization finally dawning on him. "But why do they want to keep it a secret? And how did you find out anyway?"  
  
"Well, Extendable Ears helped, but like I told you, they started acting funny. No, I mean funnier than usual. They've quit picking fights, and Hermione suddenly doesn't like to read in front of the fire anymore like she usually does in the evenings. She's always having to go write a letter, or get a different book from her room. Ron's even worse. He's started having an abnormal interest in completing his summer assignments. And he's been taking even longer to help Hermione fetch or put away cleaning supplies. You know, more than when he's just trying to get out of doing some housework. Ooh!! That's where you saw them, isn't it, in the broom closet? Ugh! Well, maybe now that you know things can go back to normal and they can quit sneaking around."  
  
Harry would never cease to be amazed at how long Ginny could talk without seeming to take a breath. He took a moment to let everything she had said sink in. Then he asked, "But why did they want to keep it a secret? I mean, we've all been expecting this to happen since the Yule Ball."  
  
Ginny shrugged, "I can't really answer that one too well, Harry. There's obvious reasons to hide it from Mum, of course. She'd spend the rest of the summer making sure they were never alone together. It's always a good idea to keep any personal information out of the twins' hands, but they've been so busy with the shop and the Order, I don't think they really have the time to harass anyone. I just know I heard those two saying something about not wanting you to feel left out. You'll have to ask them about the rest."  
  
"Ask who about the rest of what?" Ron asked as he joined them at the foot of the stairs. Hermione was close behind. Both of them were flushed, and their lips were slightly swollen.  
  
"About you two, you git!" Ginny said as she pushed past Harry and poked her finger hard into her brother's chest. "Now if, you're quite done with the kitchen, I'm going to find some of those tarts Mum finished baking this morning. You better not have eaten them all!" Ginny went triumphantly through the kitchen doorway, head held high and her long, red, pony tail swishing behind her.  
  
Ron flushed as he looked at Hermione, who was staring at a spot she was rubbing with the toe of her trainers, twirling her bushy hair and chewing on her bottom lip. Ron looked at Harry, who was beginning to see the humor in the situation. Ron opened his mouth to say something, when Harry stopped him. "I don't want the gory details. Look, I walked in on you two in the cupboard just a minute ago. Was that a surprise! When were you planning on letting me in on your little fling?"  
  
Hermione finally finished her study of the floor with her toe and looked up at Harry. "We didn't plan on keeping it a secret for long Harry. We just wanted to make certain that you were alright. After everything that's happened, we didn't want you to worry that we wouldn't want you around or anything." "You're still my best mate, Harry," added Ron, a little over enthusiastically. "Hermione and I, we just, after what happened at the end of last term, we.."  
  
"It's ok , Ron," Harry said. "Hey, if this means you two will spend less time arguing, I'm all for it. All I can say is, it's about jolly time you two wised up! Just try to make a little less noise from now on." He clapped Ron on the shoulder and turn back toward the kitchen. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'll just go in the kitchen to see if Ginny was able to find those tarts."  
  
That night, as the boys prepared for bed, Ron told Harry about how he and Hermione had spent hours talking in the Hospital wing at the end of last term. They hadn't really gotten together until Hermione had come to Grimmauld place when Dumbledore decided the chance of Death Eaters attacking muggle born families was too high.  
  
"I'm glad for you, Ron," Harry assured his friend. "Maybe now things can be a little more peaceful in Gyrffindor tower."  
  
"Ouch, were we really that bad?"  
  
"No, not really. Hey, let's get some sleep. I think I over heard your mum say something about needing to clean out the storage closest on the third floor tomorrow."  
  
Harry was glad for his friends. They seemed to be relieved by his reaction, too. "Am I really that bad?" he wondered. Yeah, probably. He remembered Ginny making her point last Christmas when they here after Mr. Weasley had been attacked. She had been right. He wasn't the only one who knew Voldemort first hand. But that didn't mean he had to stop trying to keep his friends safe. Too many had already been lost because of him and that prophesy.  
  
At least Ron and Hermione were happy. It just wouldn't do for him to get involved now. There was just too big a chance he wouldn't be around to see it through. When this was all over, if he was still alive, that is, maybe he could find someone to be like that with. Cho had been a crush. She kept crying all the time. He'd ended up wondering if girls were even worth the effort. But Ron was happy with Hermione... and she was definitely worth the time.  
  
Not that Harry had ever thought about her that way. About the time Ron was learning that all that blustering about Krum just hid his feelings for Hermione in 5th year, Harry was realizing that Hermione was like the sister he didn't have. Without her help he would never have learned summoning charms for the first task in the Tri-wizard tournament. She had pushed him to give the interview with Rita Skeeter last year, and had helped him organize the DA. Yes, Hermione was something special, but she pushed him in a nurturing sort of way, seeing the potential there and prodding Harry to act.  
  
No Hermione belonged with Ron. She pushed Ron, too, but it was more like a challenge with the red head. Harry was the brother; Ron was the one who could light the flame. No one could push Hermione's buttons like Ron. Her eyes flashed with a passion whenever he was involved, whether it be chess, prefect duties, or a fight her was goading her into. Harry turned over and adjusted his pillow. The question was, could Harry ever find someone with the same fire...someone who would share the same passion with him?  
  
_They were standing in the hallway. Her arms were crossed over her chest defiantly while she kept her head looking down at the floor. He threw up his arms in exasperation and walked to the living room, running his hands through his already messy black hair. She followed him, intent on not losing any ground in what ever this argument was about. Her red hair was beginning to come out of the knot at the base of her neck and curled against her shoulders. She put her hand on his shoulder, demanding that he turn around and face her. He turned to her and grabbed her face in his hands and kissed her fiercely...  
_  
The kiss erupted in a flash of green light as Harry's eyes popped open. This dream had been different. Sure, he'd dreamt about his parents before, but he'd never seen them kissing. In fact, it had been a while since he'd seen them at all. Since his experience with the dementors, Harry's dreams of his parents were almost always voices.. Either the screams of the night they died, or the words of encouragement from that horrible night in Little Hangleton.  
  
Was that their home in Godric's Hollow? Harry didn't remember anything about his life there with his parents, but he had never heard anyone mention his parents living anywhere else. He tried to think about what his parents might have been arguing about. If they were anything like his two best friends, it could have been anything. He knew, from what he had seen in Snape's pensieve that his mother could be every bit as self-righteous as Hermione. And why hadn't he been able to see their faces? It was like an important piece of information was being kept from him.  
  
And then, of course, there was the blinding flash of green light at the end. His dreams of his parents always ended that way. And that was the reason he would never find what Ron and Hermione had. Falling in love with Harry was just too dangerous.


End file.
